Evaluation of The Efficiency of Some Desert Plant Extracts in The Growth of Agaricus Bisporus and The Inhibition of Some of Its Pathogens

Seven isolates of Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from the casing soil and 11 fungal isolates were isolated from the spent compost in the Mushroom Farm - College of Agriculture - Tikrit University. According to the pathogenicity test against Agaricus bisporus fruit bodies, the results showed that the highest infection rate was recorded in the bacterial isolate 1077by 77.45%, while the fungal isolate 1076 showed the highest pathogenicity against Agaricus bisporus fruit bodies by recording the highest infection rate reached to 81.23%. The pathogenic bacteria and fungi isolates were phenotypically identified to the species level as Pseudomonas tolaasii and Trichoderma harzianum, respectively. The results showed the alcoholic extracts of Atriplex tatarica and Haloxylon salicornicum were superior in the active substances compared to other extracts, the highest percentage of total alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols and flavonoids was 35.14, 44.79, 43.47, 32.05 and 31.66 mg/g in the alcoholic extract of A. tatarica, respectively, while the alcoholic extract of H. salicornicum had the highest percentage of glycosides, which amounted to 41.89 mg/g of the extract. The highest efficiency of A. tatarica alcoholic extract in inhibiting the pathogenic fungus T. harzianum, was recorded, as the colony diameter was 3.1 cm in concentration of 4 mg/mL compared to 8.9 cm in the control treatment, while the H. salicornicum alcoholic extract was superior in inhibiting the pathogenic bacteria at the same concentration, in which the inhibition zone was 15.67 mm compared to no inhibition in the control treatment. While there was little effect of alcoholic extracts of both plants on the growth of A. bisporus. The results of the dry powders effect for both plants showed that the highest inhibition against the pathogenic fungus T. harzianum was recorded by the A. tatarica powder at 2% concentration, reaching 5.01 cm, while the H. salicornicum powder showed the highest inhibition against the bacteria P.tolaasii at the same concentration in which the number of cells reached to 3.23 x 107 cells/mL compared to 6.6 x 107 cells/mL in the control treatment. The results also showed the highest growth of A. bisporus that reached 9 cm for all powdered concentrations of both plants.

Impact of Drought and Flooding on Alkaloid Production in Annona crassiflora Mart

The Brazilian Cerrado is the second largest Brazilian biome. In recent decades, a reduction in rainfall has indicated an extension of the dry season. Among the many native species of the Cerrado of the Annonaceae family and used in folk medicine, Annona crassiflora Mart. has fruits of high nutritional value and its by-products are sources of bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids. The aim of the study was to investigate how water stress impacts the production of alkaloids. The study was carried out in a nursery, and the knowledge was flood, field capacity and drought. Gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, antioxidant enzymes, total soluble sugars, starch, reducing sugars, sucrose, total alkaloids and liriodenine were analyzed. We observed that plants subjected to drought had an increase in the production of total alkaloids and liriodenine, without a reduction in photosynthetic metabolism. Plants kept under drought and flood conditions dissipated higher peroxidase activity, while catalase was higher in flooded plants. Starch showed the highest concentration in flooding plants without differing from drought plants; the lowest trehalose concentrations were found in both drought and flooding plants. The drought stimulated the synthesis of total alkaloids and liriodenine without reducing the primary metabolism, which suggests adaptation to Cerrado conditions.

DYNAMICS OF ACCUMULATION OF ALKALOIDS SUM IN TWO SPECIESS DELPHINIUM L. GROWING IN GEORGIA

The research objects were underground and over ground parts of Delphinium speciosum Bieb and Delphinium flexuosum Bieb., which were collected in the Tsikisjvari, Georgia in different vegetation phases. According to the results of the study pharmacological active methyllycaconitine and lycoctonine are dominant basics of the total alkaloids in the underground and overground parts of Delphinium speciosum and Delphinium flexuosum, growing in Georgia.Based on the research it was suggested that the most reasonable period for collection is flowering phase for the overground parts and fructification phase for the underground parts of the above-mentioned species of Delphinium speciosum Bieb. and Delphinium flexuosum Bieb.

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF CARICA PAPAYA L. SEEDS GROWN IN THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN

This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities of Carica papaya L. seeds extracts collected from Al Hudaydah city, Yemen (Latitude: 14°47′52″ N Longitude: 42°57′16″ E) during the months of January and February 2021. The seed was extracted with different solvents by the cold percolation method. The disk diffusion method was employed to assess the antibacterial activity of the seed extract against six bacterial and four fungal strains. Spectrometric methods were employed to calculate the total alkaloids, anthocyanin, flavonoid, phenolic, quinones, saponin, steroids, terpenoid, tannin, and phenols contents, as well as the antioxidant activities. Antibacterial and antifungal activity tests exhibited that the selected microorganisms are highly sensitive to the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of C. papaya L. seeds, followed by chloroform, water, and n-hexane extracts. The samples also demonstrated a significant DPPH, FRAP, and APTS radical scavenging activity. Additionally, the preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoid, terpenoid, saponin, alkaloids, steroids, quinones, anthocyanin, tannin, and phenols, all of which potentially contribute to the antimicrobial activities of C. papaya L. seeds.

Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids attenuate paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy through PKCε/p38 MAPK/TRPV1 signaling pathway

Background Corydalis saxicola Bunting, affiliated with the Papaveraceae Juss., has been proven to work well in anti-inflammation, hemostasis, and analgesia. This study was designed to observe the effect and potential mechanism of Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids (CSBTA) on paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN). Materials and methods Rats were injected 2 mg/kg paclitaxel 4 times and administrated with 30 or 120 mg/kg CSBTA. Mechanical and thermal allodynia and hyperalgesia were tested. After 40 days, serum was collected to detect PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β by ELISA. The L4-L6 segment spinal cord, DRG, and plantar skin were harvested, and Western-blot or RT-qPCR analyzed protein and gene levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, p38 MAPK, PKCε, and TRPV1. The PIPN cell model was established with paclitaxel (300 nM, 5 d) in primary DRG neurons. We examined the effect of CSBTA (25 μg/ml or 50 μg/ml) by measuring the mRNA levels in PGE2, TNF-α and CGRP, and the protein expression on the PKCε/p38 MAPK/TRPV1 signaling pathway in the PIPN cell model. Results The results showed that CSBTA effectively ameliorated allodynia and hyperalgesia, and regulated cytokines' contents (PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β) and neuropeptides (CGRP and SP) in different tissues in vivo. In addition, CSBTA significantly decreased cytokine gene levels of DRG neurons (PGE2, TNF-α, and CGRP) and the protein expressions of PKCε/p38 MAPK/TRPV1 signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion Therefore, CSBTA has a perspective therapeutic effect on the treatment of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Pharmacokinetic, acute toxicity, and pharmacodynamic studies of semen strychni total alkaloid microcapsules

Purpose: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of semen strychni total alkaloid microcapsules (SSTAM), compared with semen strychni total alkaloids (SSTA). Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to assess pharmacokinetics of brucine and strychnine in rats. Acute toxicity was investigated in pre-test and formal experiments in mice. The pharmacodynamics of SSTAM and SSTA were evaluated by their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Results: With respect to brucine, the half-life of SSTA group (1.6 mg/kg), low-dose SSTAM group (6 mg/kg) and high-dose SSTAM group (10 mg/kg) was 5.723, 9.321 and 9.025 h, respectively. With respect to strychnine, the half-life of SSTA group, low-dose SSTAM group and high-dose SSTAM group was 4.065, 8.819 and 8.654 h, respectively. The LD50 values of SSTAM group and SSTA group were 236.59 and 30.27 mg/kg, respectively. The pain inhibition rates of SSTAM groups (25 and 50 mg/kg) were higher than that of SSTA group (p < 0.05) while the pain threshold values of the SSTAM groups (25 and 50 mg/kg) were higher than that of blank control (p < 0.01) and SSTA groups (p < 0.01) at 60 min and 120 min. The inhibition rates of the SSTAM groups (25 and 50 mg/kg) were higher than that of SSTA group based on ear swelling and cotton ball granulation tests. Compared with blank control and SSTA groups, the absorbance values of SSTAM groups (25 and 50 mg/kg) were lower (p < 0.01). Conclusion: SSTAM increases the dosage of administration but reducea the toxicity of the alkaloids in rats, and is thus a potentially safe and effective drug delivery system.